DAVID LUIZ: HARD WORK IS THE WAY

David Luiz believes Tuesday’s crucial Champions League clash with Juventus has now taken on extra significance following Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at West Bromwich Albion.

The defeat at the Hawthorns, in which both of the home side’s goals came courtesy of defensive lapses, made it four league games without a win for Roberto Di Matteo’s side, and with a trip to Turin looming, there is no more margin for error.

‘We had a lot of opportunities to win the game but we were unlucky,’ said the Brazilian after Saturday’s game. ‘Now we have to think about the next game.

‘Every game is a big one because we play for a big club. We weren’t thinking about Tuesday’s match when playing West Brom but that’s gone now, the past is the past, and our next match is against Juventus.

‘They are a great team with a big stadium. They are just one point behind us so I think it will be the most important game in the group.’

After an impressive start to the campaign, where our attacking play earned plenty of plaudits and a string of positive results saw us top the table, the recent blip has enabled the two Manchester clubs to overtake us.

The defender, who along with Ramires and Oscar only returned to the club late last week after representing Brazil in New Jersey, USA, acknowledged that our current form is a cause for concern.

‘At the moment it’s not good,’ said the 25-year-old. ‘We started the season at the top of the league, but we’ve now lost another game, although it was against a good team. All the big clubs come here and it’s never easy, they have a great philosophy and a great coach.

‘But it’s disappointing, Chelsea want to be at the top of the table always, so we need to work hard before the next game.

‘In my first season here I think we were 18 points behind, but if we had won our last three games we would have won the Premier League. We don’t want to be far behind the other teams, but in the space of two or three games everything can change and we can be near the top again.’